Trump threatens to stop sale of Canadian Bombardier jets in US
The threat against one of Canada's largest companies comes amid an escalating trade war between the two neighbours.
Trump threatens to halt sales of Canadian Bombardier jets in the US
Bombardier, headquartered in Montreal, is among Canada’s biggest companies.
President Donald Trump has cautioned Canadian aircraft maker Bombardier that it will no longer be able to sell in the US unless it shifts its manufacturing there.
"NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES!" Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Monday. "If they want our Market, they must build here, and stop treating America like a 'piggybank.'"
The warning comes as the trade dispute between the two neighbours intensifies, and just hours before Canadian retaliatory tariffs are due to take effect on $20bn (£14.7) worth of US goods.
It remains unclear how Trump plans to prevent Bombardier from operating in the US.
The Montreal-based firm already has a factory in Kansas, where it produces special mission military aircraft, and it employs 3,500 American workers.
Roughly half of its fleet - 5,100 aircraft - is used by Bombardier customers in the US.
According to the company’s website, Bombardier jets are manufactured at sites in Canada, the US and Mexico. They also meet the requirements of the North American free trade agreement signed by Trump during his first term, known as CUSMA in Canada and the USMCA in the US.
Bombardier is one of Canada’s largest companies, and a report commissioned by the firm says it added C$7.4bn ($5.4bn; £4bn) to Canada’s GDP in 2024.
It is also among the biggest employers in Quebec’s manufacturing industry.
In a post on X on Monday, Quebec premier Christine Fréchette described the company as "a source of pride" for the province and "a flagship of our economy".
She said she had contacted Bombardier CEO Éric Martel and offered the full backing of her government.
Responding to Trump’s threat, Fréchette wrote: "I will not respond to provocation with provocation."
"Quebec will not allow anyone to dictate where our companies must produce in order to access a market."
Trade negotiations between Canada and the US broke down late last month after Canada left the talks, following which the US imposed new 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian goods.
Prime Minister Carney said the Trump administration had put forward last-minute terms that were "unfair" and "uneconomic", while US officials accused him of refusing to sign a deal for political reasons because of Trump’s unpopularity in Canada - an allegation he denied.